First Tracks - A Century of Skiing in Utah

From old-time flip-flop skis to modern-day snowboards, from miners and Olympians, from Park City to Snowbasin - Alan Engen and Gregory Thompson capture the rich legacy of skiing in Utah's indomitable Wasatch Mountain Range. "Winter sports had reached the masses, and tiny mom-and-pop ski areas sprouted alongside the major resorts of the Wasatch Front. The fevor of the early pioneers- the miners, Alf Engen, the Rasmussen brothers - spread to thousands of Utahns, who began promoting their home as the King of Winter Sports. The craze for skiing had matured into a deep-rooted respect for the canyons, ridgelines, and fields that harbor alpine and cross-country skiers alike, bringing people together in recreation and competition. Why shouldn't the world share such a magnificent place? Mitt Romney, President and CEO, Salt Lake Organizing Committee, Olympic Winter Games of 2002

Alan K. Engen is the author of the award-winning book For the Love of Skiing: A Visual History. He is currently a board member of the Alf Engen Ski Museum Foundation, having served as the museum's chairman and president. He has also served as chairman and president of the Alta Historical Society and board member of the International Skiing History Association. Alan is the retired Director of Skiing at Alta, Utah, and has been affiliated with the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) for more than forty years. He lives in Salt Lake City.

Gregory C. Thompson, Ph.D., is the Assistant Director for the University of Utah’s J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections and an adjunct assistant professor of history. In the 1980s, he co-founded the Marriott Library’s Utah Ski Archives Program. He lives in Salt Lake City.